Max Parsons

The Parsons Lab harnesses quantum mechanical systems to develop hardware for computing, communications and sensing. Our current research is focused on scaling up neutral atom quantum computers through the development of novel optical control techniques. We are also exploring quantum control techniques for nuclear spin registers coupled to single quantum defects, such as nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond.

Max completed his PhD in 2016 under the supervision of Markus Greiner at Harvard University, where he developed techniques for laser cooling and atom-resolved imaging of fermionic lithium atoms in optical lattices for quantum simulation experiments. Prior to joining UW in 2022, Max worked as a scientist at Reality Labs (Meta) where he worked on augmented reality display systems, involving research on pupil replicating waveguides, laser beam scanning projectors, novel emitters, and digital holographic imaging. Max also worked as a scientist at Atom Computing, developing gate-based quantum computers based on arrays of neutral atoms trapped in optical tweezers. Max is an inventor on more than 35 granted patents in the fields of mixed reality and quantum computing.

• Z. Shi, R. Cheng, G. Wei, S. A. Hickman, M. C. Shin, P. Topalian, L. Wang, D. Coso, Y. Wang, Q. Wang, B. Le, L. Lee, D. Lopez, Y. Wu, S. Braxton, A. Koshelev, M. F. Parsons, R. Agarwal, B. Silverstein, Y. Wang, and G. Calafiore, “Flat-panel laser displays through large-scale photonic integrated circuits,” Nature, vol. 644, pp. 652–659, 2025. 
• Thomas, C. E. Wolfram, N. B. Warren, I. J. Fouch, B. B. Blinov, and M. F. Parsons, “An accessible planar charged particle trap for experiential learning in quantum technologies,” American Journal of Physics, vol. 93, no. 7, pp. 581–588, 2025.
• Creation of color centers in diamond by recoil implantation through dielectric films, Yuyang Han, Christian Pederson, Bethany E Matthews, Nicholas S Yama, Maxwell F Parsons, Kai-Mei C Fu, Appl. Phys. Lett. 124, 044007 (2024)
• Scalable Neutral atom based quantum computing, J King, B Bloom, K Kotru, B Lester, M Parsons - US Patent 10,504,033 (2019)
• Site-resolved measurement of the spin-correlation function in the Fermi-Hubbard model, Maxwell F Parsons, Anton Mazurenko, Christie S Chiu, Geoffrey Ji, Daniel Greif, Markus Greiner, Science, 351, 953-957 (2016)

• EE 529 B: Introduction to Quantum Hardware (Professional Master's Program), Winter '25
• EE 528: Quantum Optics, Autumn '25